Our Organisations

Prashanti Cancer Care Mission, 

Pune, India

PCCM is a non-profit organization formed by Dr. Koppiker in 1995 in Pune, India. The organization was started to provide right medical treatment to the under privileged breast cancer patients at affordable / free of cost. Through its multi-pronged activities, PCCM has been serving over 5000 women annually in Pune city and surrounding areas since year 2000.

More About Organization

PCCM is active in providing free-ships and major concessions to under privileged breast cancer patients and also runs programs for patient rehabilitation and counseling. It is active in increasing community based awareness through breast cancer awareness programs and early detection campaigns.

PCCM has been recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India with Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SIRO) status to conduct clinical and translational research.

PCCM provides rehabilitation and support to breast cancer patients and their families via a support group called “Pink Ribbon Group” initiative. The Pink Ribbon Club is a great source of support as it embraces and hand hold the breast cancer patients, their caregivers and newly detected cancer patients through the journey and make sure that the patients and their families maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay positive when fighting this disease. Alternate therapies, healing methods, relaxation and expressive art therapies are introduced to participants which not only entertains them but also gives them a chance to interact with other patients, care givers and volunteers.

In addition to its philanthropic initiatives, PCCM has also organized an annual Breast Cancer Awareness Marathon to spread awareness among citizens in Pune, India. Through these activities, breast cancer patients and survivors are provided a platform and encouraged to share their experiences.

The Mission also established a mobile breast clinic on wheels, a novel concept in India, which takes Breast Care Services such as Clinical Breast Examination, Breast Cancer Screening and Mammography to the doorsteps of women in the community.

PCCM in association with Tata Trusts and Swasth India Foundation collaborated to facilitate early screening or detection of breast and cervical cancer across the country through state-of-the-art mobile vans completely equipped with mammography, portable colonoscopy units, biopsy, pap-smear procedure and other diagnostic facilities. These mobile diagnostic vans provided cutting edge technology which effectively carried out annual checkups, spot screening and minor procedures that saved valuable lives by ensuring early detection of cancer. Breast Cancer awareness advocate and popular celebrity Ms. Kajol Devgan, also the brand ambassador of the Mission, unveiled the diagnostic vans.

In 2017, PCCM also founded a genetic clinic which provides pre and post test counseling, subsidized genetic testing services as per the international standards. A collaborative research study undertaken by the genetic clinic aim to determine the germline mutational profile of TNBCs.

Dr. Koppiker founded Orchids Breast Health, a PCCM initiative, in 2009 in Pune, India, with state-of-the-art facilities which provides free services or services at major concession in all the breast cancer diagnostic including Mammography with 3D Tomosynthesis, Breast Elastography and Ultrasonography with capabilities of Automated Breast Volume Scanner (ABVS) and Vacuum Assisted Biopsy (VAB), etc.
Orchids Breast Health has an in-house onco-pharmacy which provides free or concessional chemotherapy drugs to un-affording cancer patients at the center. Chemotherapy day care at the center is a 10-bedded day care facility where patients complete their chemotherapy treatment within several hours as opposed to the overnight stay in hospitals.
Dr. Koppiker has developed proficiency in procedures such as breast reduction, breast augmentation and nipple-areola reconstruction and has integrated all cosmetic breast surgical procedures in practice to the benefit of breast cancer patients. He has performed more than 2000 breast surgeries till date inclusive of more than 700 breast oncoplastic surgeries, 200+ breast reconstructions, 750+ sentinel node excisions and achieved a rate of 85% breast reconstruction in patients needing mastectomy.
A genetic clinic has been established at Orchids Breast Health, which provides pre and post test counseling and genetic testing services as per the international standards. Over 450 individuals representing patients and family members have been counseled, and 250 of them have undergone genetic testing. A comprehensive database of families and individuals with disease-causing gene mutations has been established as per global guidelines.

ONCOPLASTIC BREAST SURGERY

One major focus at Orchids is Breast Oncoplastic Surgery, which combines the principles of Breast Cancer surgery as well as aesthetic surgery.
All over the world, the gold standard of protocol for Breast Cancer is to avoid total Mastectomy in patients using conservative techniques along with plastic surgery. Dr. CB Koppiker is one of the pioneers and fathers of Breast Oncoplasty in India and has performed the largest number in the country. He is an international expert invited now on many global forums to perform surgeries, where he has used innovative and cost-effective methods.
He has done the largest number of breast surgeries in the country; he has performed more than 2000 breast surgeries till date inclusive of more than 700 oncoplastic surgeries, above 200 breast reconstructions and above 750 sentinal node excisions.
While this surgery definitely has aesthetic benefits, it is completely safe with respect to removal of the cancerous tissue as well, and has virtually no severe complications.The patient is sent home in one night.Even the nipple-areola region can be saved in most of the surgeries, allowing the breast to look just as it had before the surgery. And the patient does not have to worry about her breast’s appearance as she ages either- it would still remain intact, since the implant reconstruction ensures that it does not sag. Aside from demonstrating improved survival outcomes and improved treatment success rates, this technique also shows plunging rates of depression among women. The patients are happier, not only with the way their breasts look, but also with the fact that they are alive and unharmed, with no complications. They are also happy that they do not have to stay in the hospital for long, and that they overcome their ordeal with a shorter recovery time.
An additional advantage that makes this technique desirable to many patients is the fact that the women have an active say in choosing the correct size and shape of their breasts. This makes them feel less like patients, and more involved in deciding the fate of their breasts, thus making them empowered and in control of certain aspects of this ill-fated disease. The silicone prosthesis available today is compact, cohesive and safe. Adjustable breast implants are available, which allow the surgeons to modify the size of the breast post-operatively. These adjustable breast implants placed under the breast, have silicone and an adjustable chamber of saline, through which the size can be adjusted after the surgery.

Dr. Koppiker is the Research Lead and runs several breast cancer research programs at the Centre for Translational Cancer Research Foundation (CTCR), a public-private partnership supported by Bajaj Auto Ltd., founded under the aegis of Prashanti Cancer Care Mission and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India, in 2017.
CTCR aims to conduct clinically relevant translational research to address clinical questions related to breast cancer prognosis and bring together clinicians and researchers to integrate breast cancer research, training, and education.
CTCR in collaboration with IISER led to deeper insights into the molecular aspects of various breast cancer subtypes with a specific focus on TNBCs and it is anticipated that the activities of the Centre will have a direct positive impact on the national capacity for translational cancer research and most importantly, on the effective management of breast cancer in India.
CTCR has also been instrumental in the establishment of first of its kind Breast Cancer Biobank in the city of Pune for developing a retrospective cohort of breast cancer patients that have been diagnosed and treated at Orchids Breast Health. The biobank is set with the vision that tissue repositories with annotated patient data have been proven to be of immense importance to understand cancer profiles and identify targeted and personalized therapies.
Dr. Koppiker has published several research and clinical papers along with numerous book chapters in national and international journals and has attended over 100 conferences and workshops in India and abroad.

Breast Global has been conceptualized by Dr. Koppiker, Dr. Ashutosh Kothari – Oncoplastic & Reconstructive Breast Surgeon, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London and Prof. Chintamani – Consultant Surgeon and Professor at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. Breast Global has emerged from the belief that access to specialist breast training should be universal, regardless of geographical location.
During pandemic, training and capacity building of budding breast surgeons and breast cancer medical specialists was getting hampered. Thus, Breast Global portal was instituted in March 2021, with an aim to bridge the gaps in knowledge by providing a single platform where experts, trainees and industry can have access to a plethora of global learning and training opportunities.
The Breast Global platform organized its first e-conference in June 2021, with the theme “Crux to Consensus” with an aim to address existing critical controversies in the delivery of breast cancer care around the world and to achieve a consensus on acceptable standards of care through evidence-based discussions, lectures and constructive debate. Around 20 global Breast Cancer Organizations partnered with Breast Global and several national and international breast cancer experts with over 2000 participants attended the virtual conference globally.
Bajaj Auto Ltd. was instrumental in providing generous support through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) grant.

Breast Global activities

Training, Education, Research and Journal
Breast Global is one of its kind global entity, an online platform which provides global education, training and learning resources to doctors and surgeons working in the field of Breast Cancer management.
Since its launch in March 2021, Breast Global within a short while was able to draw global attention and strong membership interest. The first webinar organized by Breast Global in May 2021, consisted of around 800 participants from the global community and was a huge success due to its unique interactive format.
The first Breast Global e-conference, ‘From Crux to consensus’ organized in June 2021 was extremely successful due to global participation of many national and international Breast cancer experts and over 2000 participants.
Breast Global Journal was also launched during this conference and five highly successful webinars were also organized during this period.
Breast Global initiated a Junior Doctors forum to steer the platform by developing fresh new ideas for establishing the BG journal ahead.

Since its inception by Dr. Koppiker in 1995, PCCM has constantly strived to provide comprehensive health care to all its patients. Further to strengthen the translational cancer research, PCCM in 2017, collaborated with Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in a powerful model of public-private partnership through CSR funds from Bajaj Auto Ltd, to establish the Center for Translational Cancer Research (CTCR). CTCR aims to bring together clinicians and researchers to integrate breast cancer research, training, and education. CTCR in collaboration with IISER led to deeper insights into the molecular aspects of various breast cancer subtypes with a specific focus on TNBCs.
PCCM established the breast cancer tissue biobank and database with the vision that tissue repositories with annotated patient data can be of immense importance to understand cancer profiles and identify targeted and personalized therapies like seen in the 2006 landmark project by NCI-USA The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).
PCCM team along with Prof. Sunil Badve communicated with the TCGA Director Prof. Zenklusen and TCGA team was thus invited to India for a conference. The main objective of the conference was to gain insights and understand the TCGA workflow. Mainly through the Bajaj CSR funds available with CTCR as well as support from Persistent Systems and Wellcome Trust – DBT India alliance, an immensely successful conference was held in 2019 at IISER, Pune, India.
Dr. Jean Claude Zenklusen (Director, TCGA) along with a team of TCGA domain experts served as conference faculty besides other distinguished cancer researchers from India and abroad. Over 350 delegates comprising of onco-clinicians, basic researchers, bioinformaticians, geneticists, translational researchers, big-data scientists, bioethicists, and regulatory experts attended the event.
In addition to discussing the global trends in multi-omics research, the conference proceedings were focused on the need for understanding the molecular profiles of Indian cancers in view of increasing cancer burden, unique clinico-pathological profiles, and intrinsic population diversity. Significantly, a consensus emerged between all attendees that multi-omics profiling of Indian cancers represents an unmet medical need. Hence, an Indian national cancer research project, themed on the US-NCI-TCGA model was deemed timely and pertinent.
Based on this consensus and several rounds of subsequent brainstorming with Dr. Jean Claude Zenklusen (Director TCGA) along with Prof. Sunil Badve, Emory University, USA, Dr. Koppiker, PCCM Pune, Prof. L.S. Shashidhara, IISER Pune and Dr. Anand Deshpande, Persistent Systems, proposed setting up a national project for genomic profiling of Cancers in India with the support from US-NCI-TCGA.
Thus, in 2020 the Indian Cancer Genome Atlas project was initiated. Following the success of the first conference, PCCM in collaboration with other CTCR members also organized the 2nd TCGA Conference with the theme ‘Towards Team Science for Multi-omics Studies in South Asia’ in 2020 and the 3rd ICGA Conference with the theme ‘Biobanking to Omics: Collecting the Global Experience’ in 2022 in a virtual format.